


Marks of Love

by Inrainbowz



Series: Between The Two Of Us - The Brooklyn Loft Chronicles [4]
Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Body Paint, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Ink, M/M, Magic, Magical Bond, naked for very serious reasons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-02
Updated: 2016-04-02
Packaged: 2018-05-30 17:26:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6433567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inrainbowz/pseuds/Inrainbowz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Magnus wants to do what is in his power to ensure his Shadowhunter comes back to him.  Alec indulges. </p>
<p>(The nakedness was optionnal.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Marks of Love

**Author's Note:**

> Another fluffy piece of non sense between my two favorite dorks. Thanks to Night Changer for the beta work, enjoy!

"If it's not supposed to be erotic", asked Alec with a healthy dose of scepticism," how come we are both stark naked?" 

"It is not erotic when it is done professionally between a warlock and a client,” answered Magnus while dipping his brush in black ink. “And if I am indeed a warlock, and a very professional one at that, I do believe you” - he put back the brush on the skin of Alec's back, making him shiver – “are not a paying client." 

Magnus traced delicately another row of small runes on the already marked flesh of his lover. The bedroom was dimly lit by candles, as a much as a magical necessity as a mood setter. Drifting off, Alec mumbled in the crown of his arms: 

"I would pay to have sex with you" 

Magnus's hand froze mid-air. Alec's shoulders tensed visibly. 

"I did not say that." 

"Oh, I think you did my love" chuckled Magnus. He had to put the brush aside while he shook with laughter. Alec grumbled, mortified. 

"I guess I'm flattered," teased the warlock, getting back to his task with careful application. The left half of the broad back of the Shadowhunter was already lined with laced runes of demonic language. Magnus was focusing on the knob of his spine, working the runes around the reliefs of his body. 

Alec was a good subject: he laid very still, careful not to move and disturb Magnus's work, apart from the occasional shudder and ticklish spot on his ribs. He had accepted with a minimum of arguing too. 

"I'm halfway through it. Another hour?" asked Magnus. 

"Fine, but I don't guarantee I won't fall asleep," said the younger man. The soft movement of the brush on his skin was quite soothing, along with Magnus's voice and the quiet, intimate atmosphere of the bedroom. 

Alec was fairly tired too, after several days of a game of cat and mouse with a newly turned werewolf adamant on testing the full range of his new abilities, consequences be damned. He had finally been delivered to Luke's pack, to be tamed and taught appropriately. In another time, the Nephilim would have simply put him to death without much thoughts. Their new, more progressive course of action was largely due to the direction of Alec and pleased his lover immensely. 

Magnus reached the dip in the small of Alec's back and resisted straying lower. Now was not the time to heat the mood, he still had work to do. Later, he promised himself, when he was done, he would ravish the younger man properly. 

For now he was etching the umpteenth rune of love and protection in black, lightless ink as thick as blood into Alec’s skin. It wasn’t a particular spell or ritual, more like inspired improvisation. He was putting a lot of himself and his magic into the marks, focused and driven like he only was for his personal projects. Alec was out of it and for a moment, they stayed quiet, until Magnus broke the silence again. 

"Thank you for letting me do this" he murmured under his breath, not really caring if Alec heard him or not. He did. 

"It's okay. I know it's important to you." 

"You don't believe in it do you? You think it's the fantasies of an old witch?" 

Alec chuckled, but he answered seriously: 

"I have to admit I am... I wouldn't say sceptical, but I don't understand magic at all. I can't trust it as much as you do." 

"You trust science even if you don't understand it." 

"But science can be proven. Not that I would get it, but it still can. Magic is... archaic, yeah? You don't know how or why it works that way, it just does. 

“Isn’t it the same with your Marks?” 

“Maybe. But I experience it myself, I do it, I studied it. Magic is so confusing in comparison. It's a bit like..." 

"Like faith. Believing without proof. Don't you believe, Alexander?" 

"Don't take it personally, I don't believe in any god either." 

"You don't?" 

Magnus was distracted from his task because they had never really broached the subject before. Alec turned his head to address the warlock even if, with this angle, he couldn't really see him. 

"No. I use to, I think, when I was a child, and I didn't really question it. But the older I got the more I thought about it and... Demons, Angels, they were always there. They're just a species, in different dimensions. I think god came after, because men needed to explain. I've never come across anything that would prove there is one." 

"We're back at it. It's not about proof." 

"I guess I'm too much of a rationalist." 

They laughed a little and fell silent for a short while, before Alec asked, with a hesitating voice: 

"Do you? Believe in god I mean." 

Magnus paused his movement to think about it. 

"It's been a long time since I really questioned it but yeah, I think I do. I was never attached to any religion, I saw too many of them, saw them change and evolve and do terrible things, so it wasn't that appalling. But... you know about my father. And I guess I'd like to think there is someone on the other side that can balance this amount of evil power." 

"If there is, he's not doing a very good job." 

"How would you know? Maybe he is. Maybe it could be a hundred time worse. There's no way to be sure." 

"I guess..." 

Magnus felt strangely vulnerable, to defend it so fervently. Perhaps he was more attached to his faith than he thought. While starting another row on the nape of Alec's neck, just below his hairline, Magnus spoke again. 

"If you don't believe in it, why do you let me do it?" 

Alec tried to look at him properly at that. Magnus bent a little to see the expression on his face: he was incredulous, and hesitating between embarrassment and amusement. 

"Well I may not get magic at all and retain some good old Shadowhunter’s distrust against it but... ah, I... I believe in you, you know? I have faith in you, on all things." 

Magnus couldn't resist bending a little more to kiss the back of his neck. He felt absurdly touched. 

“It will work even better if we both put faith into it." 

"Ah, you see, that's what I don't get. It seems so random! What if we don't? The gestures and the marks are the same and still it can work, or not." 

"Magic is capricious." 

Alec sighed dramatically, like he was giving up. After some time, he still asked: 

"So how does it work?" 

Magnus laughed. Alec’s curiosity was endearing, and, he knew it, genuine. 

"Those are... maybe they are like prayers. Spells, incantations. Wishes of protection, of strength, of wellbeing and clear thoughts. Their power will remain just under your skin, as long as my magic is around to feed them. You may not feel any different, but you will be. Don't take it as an invincibility charm though. You're still obligated to be careful, do you hear me? It's more for my peace of mind." 

"So it doesn't really do anything." 

"It does. It's just far more subtle that your ugly ass marks. So unappealing." 

“Says the man who can't help but kiss them every chance he gets." 

They laughed a little. Alec was more awake now, which means he was more active too. Magnus flicked him softly on his side when he tried to adjust his position. 

"Don't move, you'll ruin the hard work. And one more thing..." 

He hesitated. 

"The other notable effect is that... We'll be connected. You and me. You'll have some of my magic inside of you, and it never leaves me completely. I'll know when you're hurt, when you need help. I'll be able to tell you if I am too. It's... It's a bond. Maybe I should have started with that." 

He stubbornly resumed his work, ignoring Alec's attempt to cross his gaze. Alec huffed. 

"Magnus, I still would have said yes." 

The warlock sighed audibly and Alec rolled his eyes. 

"I swear sometimes you're as bad as me. Of course I'm okay with it. It won't be anytime soon that we can be bonded in the laws of the Covenant, I'll take any possible way for us to be claimed as bonded. Especially if it's magic, especially if it means so much to you. We belong together, you and I. There's no doubt about it in my mind." 

Magnus had finished tracing the finale rune, but he couldn't move nor say anything. 

For all his troubles with words Alec could get quite carried away with heartfelt declaration. He stared at the swirling ink on his lover’s back, realizing how much love and power they both had poured into it, how beautiful it was, how right and strong. He was overwhelmed. 

"Magnus? Are you done?" 

Alec moved carefully to a sitting position, facing Magnus who was kneeling on the bed by his side. He was squeezing hard the brush in his hand. Alec covered his hands with his own gently, carefully setting the brush free. 

"I love you" said Magnus simply when he met his gaze. Alec kissed him softly. 

"I love you too.” 

He kissed Magnus again until the lost expression on his face eased a bit and the warlock was back to himself. 

“What happens now?” he asked against his lips. 

"Now you keep it for a couple of hours, and then we'll wash it off." 

"Will it be visible?" 

"No. For me it will be, and maybe for other warlocks if they look for it, but no. It’ll be between you and me." 

It could have been dirty but it just sounded incredibly fond. 

"And will it smear everywhere if I roll into the sheets?" 

"My dear Alexander, don’t underestimate me like that. This ink is very special. It is dry already, nothing to fear about that." 

"So the real answer to my question is... Well, more like my real question is are you going to make love to me now?" 

Magnus laughed, delighted, and pushed Alec back into the bed, but just before kissing him, he stopped with a devious smile on his face. 

"You sure you can afford me?" 

"Magnus!"

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, I'm Inrainbowz on tumblr, peace!


End file.
